A Day at Lake Terkos and the Northern Forests

Lake Terkos, also called Durusu, is one of the reservoirs that supplies İstanbul with water. This broad freshwater lake in the north is ringed by forest, and on its seaward side a long line of dunes runs down to the Black Sea. It is one of the least known natural areas in the city, and it is hard to believe it lies within the municipal boundary.

Getting there: the road through Arnavutköy to Durusu village is the most direct. There are connecting minibuses but services are sparse, so a car or a full day's planning is needed.

The day: spend the morning on the eastern shore near Durusu village. Amateur fishing is permitted, though parts of the catchment are protected and the signs must be respected. Have breakfast in the village and then walk into the forest, a mix of alder and oak that draws mushroom foragers in spring. In the afternoon continue north to the dunes, which shift with the wind and shelter small pools where waterbirds feed. For birdwatchers the autumn migration is the richest season.

Eating: there are few restaurants. A couple of places in Durusu serve simple home cooking; bringing your own water and snacks is the safest plan.

Tips: this is a protected catchment and the city drinks its water, so leaving no litter genuinely matters. The currents make swimming unwise. The light half an hour before sunset is the best for photographs.